Bernstein on Omnibus: ‘The Music of J.S. Bach’:July2016

The Omnibus television program of the 1950s and ‘60s has been called “the most successful cultural magazine series in the history of U.S. commercial television.” One of its most popular and innovative undertakings was a seven-part series—plus a bonus eighth performance—Leonard Bernstein made for the program between 1954 and 1958.

Now the Arizona Senior Academy is presenting those eight episodes on separate dates this summer in the Academy’s Great Room. The sixth, to be shown at 3:30 p.m. Thursday (July 21), is entitled “The Music of J.S. Bach.”

In this episode, Bernstein demonstrates his breadth of musical knowledge and his ability to recognize and understand genius even in composers whose musical tastes differ from his own.

“From the first he was a passionate romantic, in his composing, his conducting and his life,” said critic and author John Rockwell. “That didn’t always sit well with those who prefer a more buttoned-down quality in music and in people. It makes his extreme enthusiasm for Bach in that Omnibus program a little surprising. Yet the enthusiasm was genuine, and comes across as such on television.”

And while most of Bernstein’s Omnibus programs were aimed at non-technical audiences, the Bach program “ventures a little further into technicalities, even,” in Rockwell’s words, “to Bach’s fascination with numerology, making one wonder if he ever chafed at the restrictions of the ‘Omnibus’ producers.”

Originally broadcast on March.31, 1957, the episode includes appearances by soloists Saramae Endich, soprano; Gloria Lane, alto; Russell Oberlin, tenor; and Kenneth Smith, bass. Choral works are demonstrated by the chorus of the Schola Cantorum of New York and boys from the St. Thomas School Choir.

The seventh ASA program from the “Leonard Bernstein: Omnibus” collection will cover grand opera, and the eighth, a bonus, will feature Bernstein conducting the Symphony of the Air in selections from Handel’s Messiah.

Written by Mike Maharry, Academy Village Volunteer

More Info on attending an event

Academy Village is an active-adult community located off Old Spanish Trail six miles southeast of Saguaro National Park East. Its residents support the Arizona Senior Academy, a non-profit charitable organization whose mission includes offering free concerts and lectures to the public.

These events are held in the Great Room of The ASA Building adjacent to the Academy Village Community Center. Due to the popularity of cultural events, non-residents who wish to ensure priority seating are advised to make reservations by email at info@arizonasenioracademy.org or by phone at (520) 647-0980. To learn more about the Academy, go to www.asa-tucson.org.

Parking for visitors is in the lot behind the Community Center. All parking spaces in front of the Academy building are reserved.

Testimonials

I’ve given public lectures around the world, and found the questions asked here at the ASA to be some of the most thoughtful and perceptive that I’ve ever gotten!

The Arizona Senior Academy provides a comfortable space with great acoustics … This ensures a great time for both audience and performer. It is a fantastic venue in a beautiful desert setting. The icing on the cake is the audience — engaged and eager to hear what the performer has to offer.

Making presentations at the Arizona Senior Academy is always a joy and a challenge, because I have to work a little harder to stay one step ahead of the very sharp audience. … And the lovely desert location helps keep us all stimulated.

The opportunity to preview University of Arizona concerts in such a receptive venue, both audience and acoustic-wise, makes the Senior Academy a unique place for us performers. … It is always a great pleasure to perform/lecture at the Arizona Senior Academy.

ASA is a very unique venue that offers a very intimate feel that I truly appreciate as a musician. … A Hidden Gem in the Desert.

Playing at the Academy offers the performer the unique experience of an audience that is simultaneously appreciative and stimulating. The questions that follow can lead to unusual and thought-provoking turns of conversation, both during the performance hour and at the congenial luncheon that so often follows. What a great place to play!

A treasure on the eastside.

Performing at the Arizona Senior Academy, in their gorgeous location on the eastern side of Saguaro National Park East, is a high point of the year for both my students and myself. The audience and administration are very welcoming to UA students and faculty, and the subsequent question-and-answer period is always informative.

Designed to bring together individuals with intellectual curiosity in a stimulating environment, [Academy Village] is a successful model for creative retirement that is being used by several other American universities.

We have always enjoyed performing at the Academy. A gorgeous spot, a wonderful piano, a fantastic audience and exceptional hosts who make their guests feel really special. Does not get better than that!

The first time I performed at the Arizona Senior Academy I offered two options to the audience for an encore: Chopin or Schoenberg. Who could imagine an audience whose resounding answer would be ‘SCHOENBERG!’ Clearly, this response demonstrates unusually open, perceptive ears!

I’ve given talks in venues across the country, and I always look forward to returning to Academy Village. The setting is superb and the venue comfortable—and a speaker couldn’t ask for a more responsive, more receptive audience.